Biblical Scavenger Hunt

On October 26, the Jacksonville Jewish Center’s Bernard and Alice Selevan Religious School’s K-3 classes (and other Galinsky Academy families) joined together for a scavenger hunt at our local zoo.

Below you will find the two documents given to participants at our Biblical scavenger hunt a the Jacksonville Zoo. The passport is divided into four quadrants/areas of our zoo to help groups find their way around. The scavenger hunt details include biblical quotes for other animals if you wanted to highlight other animals at your local zoo.

There were six highlighted stations run by Religious school staff (those animals with an asterisk by their biblical reference). Groups were encouraged to take “arkies” (selfies with animals) with other animals mentioned in the bible.

The six stations and their 3-5 minute topics:

1) Giraffe- is giraffe kosher? What are the basic laws of kashrut?

2) Lion- “lion of judah”- chart of the 12 tribes and their symbols; history of tribes and symbol use.

3) Ape- What Jewish attributes does Tarzan have? Answers may include: long hair like Samson, treatment of animals, beating chest like we do each day and on YK, climbing up (aliya) the trees, a call like the shofar…

4) Wolf- name “velvel“/ze’ev. other names after animals Jonah (a dove),Rachel (a sheep), Zipporah (a bird), Devorah (a bee). The prophetess Huldah, who is mentioned in Tenach, carried the name of a weasel. King Josiah had a secretary called Shafan (a hare, rabbit)….

5) Elephant- “tanks of the ancient world”- Tell the story of Maccabees.

6) Frog- midrash on 2nd plague- one giant frog or many frogs? Explain the midrashim.

Scavenger Hunt Details

BIBLICAL ZOO PASSPORT